Heart worms are a parasite transmitted from a bite by a mosquito carrying the larvae. The heart worm eggs circulate in the bloodstream until reaching the heart. The eggs hatch, and the heart worms take up residence in the right ventricle and surrounding blood vessels. Infection can be fatal without treatment. There are cures and preventatives for heart worms, but the medicines can have harsh side effects. Some people prefer a more natural approach to preventing and treating the parasites.
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Symptoms
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A dog with heart worms might lose weight and be lethargic with little appetite. The dog can have trouble breathing and might cough, especially after physical exertion. It is important to get your dog tested if you think he has heart worms. Your vet can do a blood test, but it won't be reliable if the dog has heart worms that are less than six months old. Ideally, your dog has been on some type of preventative since it was eight weeks old. If not, the dog can acquire heart worms in almost every state in the country. If it is warm enough for mosquitoes to hatch, your dog is at risk.
Garlic
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Garlic is often recommended to treat and prevent heart worms. It makes the dog's pH balance more acidic and creates an unpleasant odor that can ward off mosquitoes. Garlic also strengthens the heart. It has many positive benefits, but should be used with caution, if at all. Garlic can cause hemolytic anemia (bursts red blood cells before they can replicate), especially if used long term or in large doses.
Herbs
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Black walnut, tansy, mugwort, cloves and wormwood are all useful to kill parasites. Black walnut is a strong herb and shouldn't be used for longer than seven days. If your dog shows any signs of allergies---hives, itching, sneezing or watery eyes---discontinue its use immediately. Wormwood works to strengthen the digestive system as a whole. It kills worms, eases bloating, stimulates the appetite and can help ward off infections. Cloves are particularly useful when paired with black walnut or wormwood. Mugwort is useful to repel mosquitoes but also has an anti-worming effect. You can substitute tansy if mugwort is unavailable. Yucca root is good for the coughing and bloating heart worms cause. Sorrel is useful for clearing the blood vessels of the parasites. Hawthorn supports heart health and lowers the blood pressure. Licorice is useful for cleansing the blood and reducing inflammation from the infection, along with strengthening the lungs. Oregano capsules can boost your dog's immune system and speed up the recovery process. Grapefruit seed extract is another good herb to improve immune function and keep your dog healthy during treatment. Make sure you don't confuse it with grape seed extract, which is also fine for dogs, but won't help with parasites. Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs, but the harmful ingredient is in the flesh of the grapes, not the seeds.
Prevention
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The best way to treat heart worms is to prevent them. You don't have to give your dog a harsh monthly preventative. Heart worm prevention focuses more on repelling mosquitoes through changing the dog's scent. Crush mugwort or tansy leaves and rub them into your dog's fur. You can also create a bug repellent with essential oils. Lavender, tea tree oil and citronella are all unpleasant to bugs. Just shake a few drops down his back and brush or pet the dog to work in the oil. You can also feed your dog wormwood, cloves and any of the herbs that strengthen his immune system to kill any parasites that might invade.
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